MoFi Electronics MasterDeck Turntable

An American-Made Reference Turntable from MoFi Electronics

The MoFi MasterDeck was designed by veteran analog engineer Allen Perkins, the mind behind Spiral Groove, Immedia's RPM turntables, and several SOTA models. It's assembled in limited batches at MoFi Electronics' factory in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

MasterDeck supports 33⅓, 45, and 78rpm records, with a precision trim control that lets you fine-tune playback speed for records that weren't cut precisely at a standard rate. Solid-wood framing is available in understated Black Ash or natural Walnut, both hand-finished at the factory.

This package ships without a cartridge, for listeners who already own a reference cartridge or want to choose one specifically for their system. The tonearm's wide 5-to-14-gram weight range accepts a broad selection of premium moving-magnet and moving-coil designs from any maker.

Precision Analog Engineering, Built in Michigan

A Massive Hybrid Platter and an Isolated Bearing

The 1.75-inch platter combines an aluminum structure with a Delrin record surface, together weighing 14.35 pounds. Aluminum supplies rotational mass and rigidity, while Delrin offers mechanical properties similar to vinyl for a stable, well-damped interface with the record.

An isolated, sensor-regulated motor drives the platter. It rotates on an encapsulated Spiral Groove inverted bearing engineered to minimize friction and maintain alignment under its own weight. Harmonic Resolution Systems isolation feet give the whole turntable 5.5 degrees of freedom, floating it free of floor and shelf vibration.

A Fully Adjustable 10-Inch Tonearm

MasterDeck's 10-inch tonearm combines a unipivot lateral bearing with a gimbal-design vertical bearing, both riding on synthetic sapphire and ruby. The bearings sit inside a damped carbon-fiber arm tube chosen for rigidity with low resonance.

The removable aluminum headshell and 5-to-14-gram cartridge-weight range make MasterDeck compatible with a broad selection of premium moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges. Cardas Audio wiring carries the signal. Azimuth, overhang, zenith, vertical tracking angle, tracking force, and anti-skating are all independently adjustable.

What Reviewers Are Saying

"This is a turntable that sounds as good as it looks and feels, well maybe even better, and it does look good," writes Michael Fremer for Tracking Angle, ranking MasterDeck among the finest turntables he's reviewed.

Stereophile's Ken Micallef used a Luxman LMC-5 cartridge on the MasterDeck and found it "consistently played with determined certainty, resolving everything in a recording in an altogether fresh way." His verdict: he hadn't heard a better turntable in its class.

Who Is This Turntable Best For?

• You already own a cartridge you love, or want to choose your own — the 5-to-14-gram tonearm range covers a broad selection of MM and MC designs
• You want a tonearm built for the long haul — the dual-pivot carbon-fiber design keeps every adjustment open as your cartridge changes
• You collect records cut at different speeds — 33⅓, 45, and 78rpm are all supported, with fine trim adjustment for nonstandard cuts
• Vibration control matters to your setup — HRS isolation feet, a massive hybrid platter, and an isolated bearing work together to keep noise out of the groove
• You want the cartridge to be your choice — the tonearm is ready for anything in our phono cartridges

How Does It Connect to Your System?

MasterDeck has no built-in phono preamp, and this package includes no cartridge. Two choices come first: a moving-magnet or moving-coil cartridge within the tonearm's 5-to-14-gram range, and a phono preamp with gain and loading matched to whichever you pick.

Once both are in place, one RCA cable runs from the tonearm to your amplifier or receiver's phono input, or to a separate outboard phono preamp positioned close to the turntable.

Pairs Well With

Where the MasterDeck goes from here:

• Phono cartridges — the tonearm's 5-to-14-gram range is ready for a wide range of MM and MC designs
• Phono preamplifiers — required for playback, matched in gain and loading to whichever cartridge you choose
• Integrated amplifiers — with a phono input suited to your cartridge type, or paired with a separate phono preamp
• Audio racks — a rigid, level shelf lets the HRS isolation feet and inverted bearing do their job

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the MasterDeck include a cartridge?

This package doesn't include one, so you can choose a moving-magnet or moving-coil cartridge within the tonearm's 5-to-14-gram range.

Does it have a built-in phono preamp?

It needs an external phono preamp with gain and loading matched to whichever cartridge you install — there's no phono stage built in.

Which speeds does it support?

33⅓, 45, and 78rpm, with a precision trim control for fine-tuning playback speed on nonstandard records.

Is a dust cover included?

MasterDeck ships without one, so you'll want to budget for a dust cover separately.

What cartridges will it accept?

Anything weighing 5 to 14 grams, which covers a broad range of premium moving-magnet and moving-coil designs.

Which finishes are available?

MasterDeck is offered in Black Ash or natural Walnut, each available with or without the factory-installed UltraGold cartridge.

See It in Action

Audio Advice walks through the MasterDeck's design and engineering:

MoFi Electronics introduces the MasterDeck in its own words:

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Learn More

Want to learn more about turntable setup, cartridge selection, or phono preamps? Visit our Learning Center for guides, tips, and expert advice.